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1938 VPI Gobblers football team

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1938 VPI Gobblers football
ConferenceSouthern Conference
Record3–5–2 (2–3–2 SoCon)
Head coach
CaptainFrank Marion Pierce
Home stadiumMiles Stadium
Seasons
← 1937
1939 →
1938 Southern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 3 Duke $ 5 – 0 – 0 9 – 1 – 0
Clemson 3 – 0 – 1 7 – 1 – 1
VMI 4 – 0 – 3 6 – 1 – 4
North Carolina 4 – 1 – 0 6 – 2 – 1
Richmond 3 – 2 – 1 6 – 3 – 1
Washington and Lee 2 – 2 – 0 4 – 4 – 1
NC State 3 – 3 – 1 3 – 7 – 1
South Carolina 2 – 2 – 0 6 – 4 – 1
Wake Forest 3 – 4 – 1 4 – 5 – 1
VPI 2 – 3 – 2 3 – 5 – 2
The Citadel 2 – 3 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
Maryland 1 – 2 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
Davidson 2 – 6 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
Furman 0 – 4 – 1 2 – 7 – 1
William & Mary 0 – 4 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1938 VPI Gobblers football team represented Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute in the 1938 college football season. The team was led by their head coach Henry Redd and finished with a record of three wins, five losses and two ties (3–5–2).

Schedule

[edit]
DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 17Emory and Henry*
W 33–0[1][2]
September 248:00 p.m.vs. Duke
L 0–1813,000[3][4]
October 1at Army*
L 0–39[5][6]
October 8vs. William & Mary
W 27–04,500[7][8]
October 15Virginia*dagger
  • Miles Stadium
  • Blacksburg, VA (rivalry)
L 6–147,000[9][10]
October 222:30 p.m.at Washington and Lee
L 0–69,000[11][12][13][14]
October 29NC State
  • Miles Stadium
  • Blacksburg, VA
W 7–03,500[15][16]
November 52:00 p.m.at North Carolina
L 0–718,000[17][18][19]
November 11at Richmond
  • City Stadium
  • Richmond, VA
T 0–09,000[20][21][22]
November 24vs. VMI
T 2–215,000-17,000[23][24][25]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming

Before the season

[edit]

The 1937 VPI Gobblers football team compiled a 5–5 record and were led by Henry Redd in his sixth season as head coach.

Game summaries

[edit]

Emory and Henry

[edit]
Emory and Henry at VPI
1 234Total
E&H 0 000 0
• VPI 20 067 33

VPI's first game of the season was a victory over Emory and Henry at Miles Stadium.

The starting lineup for VPI was: Pierce (left end), Pitts (left tackle), Worthington (left guard), Dunn (center), Devlin (right guard), Gaugler (right tackle), Cameron (right end), Fixx (quarterback), Miller (left halfback), Belcher (right halfback), Warriner (fullback). The substitutes were: Boswell, Buchanan, Coleman, DeMuro, Gosney, Graves, King, Markle, McMillan, Oliver, Powers, Rose, Shawhan, Smith, Taylor, Thomas, Traynham, Wood and Woolwine.

Duke

[edit]
Duke vs. VPI
1 234Total
• Duke 6 066 18
VPI 0 000 0
See also: 1938 Duke Blue Devils football team

After their victory over Emory and Henry, VPI played Duke University at World War Memorial Stadium in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Army

[edit]
VPI at Army
1 234Total
VPI 0 000 0
• Army 26 076 39
See also: 1938 Army Cadets football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Cameron (left end), Pitts (left tackle), Worthington (left guard), Wood (center), Devlin (right guard), Gaugler (right tackle), Pierce (right end), DeMuro (quarterback), Belcher (left halfback), Miller (right halfback), Warriner (fullback). The substitutes were: Boswell, Buchanan, Coleman, Dunn, Ellison, Fixx, Gosney, Henderson, Hudson, King, Markle, Oliver, Powers, Shawhan, Traynham, Waugh and Woolwine.

The starting lineup for Army was: F. J. Yeager (left end), Harry Stella (left tackle), Melvin Verner Engstrom (left guard), J. Maxwell (center), Robert Roy Little (right guard), J. Lotozo (right tackle), Henry Riggs Sullivan (right end), Ken O. Due (quarterback), Woodrow William Wilson (left halfback), W. H. H. Mullin (right halfback), W. P. Kelleher (fullback). The substitutes were: Benjamin Mart Bailey, Coontz, John William "Jack" Dobson, J. G. Dubuisson, William G. Gillis, Harris, C. S. Jobes, G. T. Larkin, W. M. Lauterbach, E. DeW. Light, Mansfield, Sidney Taylor Martin, James Elmer Mather, John Arthur McDavid, Maurice Myron Miller, J. W. Milner, Muzyk, John Spoor Samuel, John Robert Schrader and Thompson.

William & Mary

[edit]
William & Mary vs. VPI
1 234Total
W&M 0 000 0
• VPI 7 0146 27
See also: 1938 William & Mary Indians football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Pierce (left end), Pitts (left tackle), Worthington (left guard), Wood (center), Devlin (right guard), Coleman (right tackle), Cameron (right end), DeMuro (quarterback), Belcher (left halfback), Powers (right halfback), Ellison (fullback). The substitutes were: Boswell, Fixx and Miller.

The starting lineup for William & Mary was: Charles Gondak (left end), Dillard (left tackle), Michael Hook (left guard), Herbert Krueger (center), John Davidson (right guard), John Dillard (right tackle), Stan Kamen (right end), William Seamans (quarterback), Lloyd Phillips (left halfback), Tommy Della Torre (right halfback), William Byrne (fullback). The substitutes were: Gordon Hanna.

Virginia

[edit]
Virginia at VPI
1 234Total
• UVA 0 770 14
VPI 0 006 6
See also: 1938 Virginia Cavaliers football team

VPI's 1938 homecoming game was a loss to rival Virginia.

The starting lineup for VPI was: Pierce (left end), Pitts (left tackle), Worthington (left guard), Wood (center), Devlin (right guard), Coleman (right tackle), Henderson (right end), DeMuro (quarterback), Belcher (left halfback), Powers (right halfback), Ellison (fullback). The substitutes were: Boswell, Fixx, Gaugler, Gosney, Gray, King, Miller, Oliver and Shawhan.

The starting lineup for Virginia was: James Sargeant (left end), Lee McLaughlin (left tackle), Herbert Winokur (left guard), W. Oscar Willett (center), John Acree (right guard), Arthur Bryant (right tackle), Woodruff George (right end), James Beveridge (quarterback), Jim Gillette (left halfback), Mosby Cardozo (right halfback), Harry McClaugherty (fullback). The substitutes were: Dickey, Harry Dinwiddie, C. Tabb George, Nick Gianakos, Luther Gosney, Gravatt, L. Peyton Harris, Lewis, H. Cabell Maddux, Maines, Morse, Peter Nistad, Sylvester O'Grince, Rinehart, Phillip Rothar, Walter Smith and John Swank.

Washington and Lee

[edit]
VPI at Washington & Lee
1 234Total
VPI 0 000 0
• W&L 0 060 6
  • Date: October 22, 1938
  • Location: Wilson Field
    Lexington, VA
  • Game start: 2:30 p.m.
  • Game attendance: 9,000
  • Game weather: "Perfect"
  • Referee: Henry Gerard (Illinois)
See also: 1938 Washington and Lee Generals football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Pierce (left end), Pitts (left tackle), Worthington (left guard), Wood (center), Devlin (right guard), Coleman (right tackle), Henderson (right end), DeMuro (quarterback), Miller (left halfback), Belcher (right halfback), Ellison (fullback). The substitutes were: Gaugler, Gosney, King, Oliver, Powers and Thomas.

The starting lineup for Washington and Lee was: Taylor Simmons Truehart (left end), Richard Winfield "Dick" Boisseau (left tackle), William W. Brown (left guard), John Joseph "Jack" Mangan (center), James Edward Lindsey (right guard), Joseph H. Ochsie (right tackle), S. Bernard Harper (right end), Dan Ray Justice (quarterback), Ray Craft (left halfback), Courtney Young Wadlington (right halfback), Alfred Thomas "Junie" Bishop (fullback). The substitutes were: Robert Blanding, Howard Wesley Dobbins, Stephen Edward Hanasik, C. Harrison Hogan, W. Roy Hogan, William Keland, Kelley Litteral, Charles P. Lykes, R. Shack Parrish, Richard Pinck, Francis Joseph Sugrue, Ronnie Thompson, Walker and J. Dorsey Wilson.

NC State

[edit]
NC State at VPI
1 234Total
NC State 0 000 0
• VPI 0 070 7
See also: 1938 NC State Wolfpack football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Pierce (left end), Pitts (left tackle), Worthington (left guard), Wood (center), Devlin (right guard), Coleman (right tackle), Henderson (right end), Fixx (quarterback), Thomas (left halfback), Belcher (right halfback), Hudson (fullback). The substitutes were: Miller.

The starting lineup for NC State was: William Retter (left end), Ty Coon (left tackle), Acai (left guard), Howell Stroup (center), Wooden (right guard), George Fry (right tackle), Mickey Sullivan (right end), Arthur Rooney (quarterback), Andrew Pavlovsky (left halfback), Robert Sabolyk (right halfback), Sands (fullback).

North Carolina

[edit]
North Carolina vs. VPI
1 234Total
VPI 0 000 0
• UNC 0 070 7
See also: 1938 North Carolina Tar Heels football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Pierce (left end), Gosney (left tackle), Worthington (left guard), Wood (center), Devlin (right guard), Coleman (right tackle), Oliver (right end), Fixx (quarterback), Thomas (left halfback), Ellison (right halfback), Hudson (fullback). The substitutes were: Belcher, Gaugler, Graves, Henderson, Markle, Miller, Pitts, Powers, Rose, Warriner and Woolwine.

The starting lineup for North Carolina was: Horace Palmer (left end), Steve Maronic (left tackle), James Woodson (left guard), Robert Adam (center), Dan Desich (right guard), Claud Kimball (right tackle), James Mallory (right end), Snuffy Stirnweiss (quarterback), George Radman (left halfback), George Watson (right halfback), Jack Kraynick (fullback). The substitutes were: Don Baker, Mike Bobbitt, Julian Brantley, Tony Cernugle, Ellis Fields, Charles Kline, Jim Lalanne, Ed Megson, Walt Palanske, Pieffer, Sydney Sadoff, Paul Severin, Christian Siewers, Leo Slotnick, Smith and Winborne.

Richmond

[edit]
VPI at Richmond
1 234Total
VPI 0 000 0
Richmond 0 000 0
See also: 1938 Richmond Spiders football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Henderson (left end), Pitts (left tackle), Worthington (left guard), Wood (center), Declin (right guard), Coleman (right tackle), Oliver (right end), Fixx (quarterback), Ellison (left halfback), Thomas (right halfback), Hudson (fullback). The substitutes were: Belcher, DeMuro, Gaugler, Graves, King, Pierce, Rose, Shawman, Traynham and Warriner.

The starting lineup for Richmond was: Bill Burge (left end), Andy Fronczek (left tackle), William Fitzhugh (left guard), Ed Merrick (center), Forrest Norvell (right guard), Harold McVay (right tackle), Avalon Marchant (right end), Bruce Van Buskirk (quarterback), Art Jones (left halfback), Stuart Hoskins (right halfback), George Spears (fullback). The substitutes were: William Cash, Edners Dickinson, Wilson Faris, Dick Humbert, John Kennedy, Wilfred Lawless, William Morrison and Edward Sinar.

VMI

[edit]
VMI vs. VPI
1 234Total
VMI 2 000 2
VPI 2 000 2
  • Date: November 24, 1938
  • Location: Maher Field
    Roanoke, VA
  • Game attendance: 15,000-17,000
  • Game weather: Snowstorm
  • Referee: Richard Carrington (UVA)
See also: 1938 VMI Keydets football team

The starting lineup for VPI was: Pierce (left end), Pitts (left tackle), Worthington (left guard), Wood (center), Devlin (right guard), Coleman (right tackle), Oliver (right end), Fixx (quarterback), Ellison (left halfback), Rose (right halfback), Hudson (fullback). The substitutes were: Belcher, DeMuro, Gaugler, Gosney, Henderson, King and Thomas.

The starting lineup for VMI was: Ray Brittingham (left end), Rip Walker (left tackle), Ray Reutt (left guard), Richard Irby (center), Thomas Thrasher (right guard), Richard Strickler (right tackle), E. Ray Taylor (right end), James "Son" Shelby (quarterback), Vendel "Bud" Kovar (left halfback), Paul Shu (right halfback), Andy Trzeciak (fullback). The substitutes were: G. V. Atkinson, Brown, Carney, Phil Chapman, William "Red" Echols, Thomas Gray, Luther Huyett, Marshall, Langhorne Meem, Nelson, Luther Sexton and Tipton.

After the season

[edit]

In December 1938, the VPI players chose lineman Dave Pitts as captain of the 1939 VPI Gobblers football team.[26]

Players

[edit]

Roster

[edit]
VPI 1938 roster
Quarterback
  • Phil DeMuro

Guards

  • Bill Chisholm
  • Bill Devlin
  • Robert Preston Graves
  • Irving Gray
  • Ernie King
  • Joseph Franklin Smith
  • Buddy Waugh
  • George Worthington

Tackles

  • Robson Coiner
  • Jim Coleman
  • Jim Gaugler
  • Edward Gisburne
  • Woodrow Gosney
  • Dave Pitts
  • Frank Remorenko
  • Claude Simpson
  • Andrew Wellington Todd
 Centers
  • Samuel Bascom Dunn
  • Herbert Andrews Markle
  • Neil Wood

Ends

  • Archie Cameron
  • John Henderson
  • Ernest Luke
  • Frank Oliver
  • Frank Pierce (Capt.)
  • Sonny Powers
  • Bascom Pribble
  • Daniel Green Shawhan
 Halfbacks
  • Bill Barnes
  • Graham Buchanan
  • Sonny Ellison
  • Jimmy Fixx
  • Rankin Hudson
  • Billy McMillan
  • Al Miller
  • Samuel B. Rose, Jr.
  • Garrett Taylor
  • Herbert Joseph Thomas
  • Albert Traynham
  • James Walter Woolwine

Fullbacks

  • Jim Belcher
  • Irving Ward Boswell
  • Sidney Gordon Campbell
  • George Warriner

Varsity letter winners

[edit]

Twenty-one players received varsity letters for their participation on the 1938 VPI team.[27]

Player Hometown Notes
James Raymond Belcher Petersburg, Virginia
Archibald Branks Cameron Cranford, New Jersey World War II veteran (Army). Awarded the Silver Star Medal and Purple Heart.
James Emory Coleman Fayetteville, West Virginia
Philip Galliano DeMuro Passaic, New Jersey
William Harper Devlin Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Mathew Leslie "Sonny" Ellison Beckley, West Virginia
James Stuart Fixx Arlington, Virginia
James Anthony Gaugler Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
H. Woodrow Gosney Clarksburg, West Virginia
John L. Henderson Sevierville, Tennessee
Rankin McGuire Hudson Sweetwater, Tennessee
Ernest Stuart King Disputanta, Virginia
Albert Sanford Miller Hampton, Virginia
Frank Lovitt Oliver Lynnhaven, Virginia World War II veteran (Lieutenant Colonel, Army).
Frank Marion Pierce (Capt.) Suffolk, Virginia World War II veteran (Lieutenant Colonel, Army).
David Marion Pitts Manassas, Virginia
Stanley Covington "Sonny" Powers Kingston, West Virginia World War II veteran
Herbert Joseph Thomas South Charleston, West Virginia World War II veteran (Sergeant, Marines). Awarded the Medal of Honor.
George Daniel Warriner Montgomery County, Virginia World War II veteran (Captain, Army). Awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart.
Neil Saunders Wood Hampton, Virginia
George Yellott Worthington Washington, DC

Coaching and training staff

[edit]
  • Head coach: Henry Redd
  • Assistant coaches
  • Manager: Marvin E. Inge, Jr.
  • Freshman coaches
    • Freshman head coach: C. E. Tilson
    • Assistant freshman coach and trainer: Thomas A. Slusser

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "V. P. I. 33-0 Victor in Opening Clash". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. September 18, 1938. p. 31. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  2. ^ "Tech Smothers Emory And Henry Wasps, 30 To 0". The Southwest Times. Library of Virginia. September 18, 1938. p. 6. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  3. ^ "Blue Devils Meet V. P. I. in Season Opener, Saturday". The Duke Chronicle. Duke University. September 20, 1938. p. 1. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  4. ^ "Blue Devil Football Team Captures Season's Opener, 18–0". The Duke Chronicle. Duke University. September 27, 1938. p. 3. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  5. ^ "Army's Big Backs Rout V. P. I., 39-0". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. October 2, 1938. p. 35. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  6. ^ "Techmen Loses To Army". The Southwest Times. Library of Virginia. October 2, 1938. p. 6. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  7. ^ "Indians Unable to Click As Gobblers Win 27-0". The Flat Hat. College of William & Mary. October 11, 1938. p. 3. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  8. ^ "Gobblers Mop Up W. And M., 27 To 0". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. October 9, 1938. p. 30. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  9. ^ "Virginia to Meet Maryland Eleven". The Daily Progress. University of Virginia. October 17, 1938. p. 6. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  10. ^ "Cavaliers Spoil Gobblers' Party". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. October 16, 1938. p. 30. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  11. ^ "Pinck's 88-yard run wins for W&L". The Virginian-Pilot. October 23, 1938. Retrieved September 6, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Pinck Dashes 88 Yards To Beat Gobblers, 6-0" (PDF). The Ring-tum Phi. Washington and Lee University. October 25, 1938. p. 3. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  13. ^ "W. and L. Rookie Starts as Hero". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. October 23, 1938. p. 29. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  14. ^ "Washington & Lee Takes Homecoming From VPI". Rockbridge County News. Library of Virginia. October 27, 1938. p. 7. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  15. ^ "Gobblers Rout Favored 'Pack To Gain Upset". The Technician. North Carolina State University. November 4, 1938. p. 3. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  16. ^ "Miller is Leader in V. P. I. Victory". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. October 30, 1938. p. 37. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  17. ^ "Virginia Tech Invades Chapel Hill Today". The Daily Tar Heel. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. November 5, 1938. p. 1. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  18. ^ "Stirnweiss Sparks Tar Heels To Wet Win". The Daily Tar Heel. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. November 6, 1938. p. 1. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  19. ^ "Blocked Kick Leads To Carolina's Win Over Gobblers". The Sunday Star. Library of Congress. November 6, 1938. p. 26. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  20. ^ "Spiders, VPI Play To Tie". The Richmond Collegian. University of Richmond. November 18, 1938. p. 4. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  21. ^ "9,000 See Tech, Richmond Battle To Scoreless Tie". Northern Virginia Daily. Library of Virginia. November 12, 1938. p. 3. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  22. ^ "Spiders, Techmen tie, 0–0". Norfolk Virginian-Pilot. November 12, 1938. Retrieved November 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "Squadron Ties VPI 2–2 In Annual Game". The V.M.I. Cadet. Virginia Military Institute. November 29, 1938. p. 1. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  24. ^ "V. P. I. Achieves Upset, Tying V. M. I., 2-2". The Evening Star. Library of Congress. November 25, 1938. p. 40. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  25. ^ "VMI and VPI Play 2-to-2 Tie Game". Rockbridge County News. Library of Virginia. December 1, 1938. p. 7. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  26. ^ "Lineman Made Techs Captain". The Southwest Times. Library of Virginia. December 6, 1938. p. 6. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
  27. ^ "1938 VPI Letterwinners". Virginia Tech. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
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